Summer of 2831
by Gracidea of the Valley
Summary: In the summer of 2831, a girl started her island challenge to establish herself in her new home region, a boy went on a journey to find his purpose, a girl traveled to the guardians to help a friend, a boy fought against the one he called family, a girl found her destiny, and a boy discovered himself in the land where the moon holds sway.
1. Fight in Lumiose City

PreWriting: I want to introduce the idea of legendary companions, and why Zygarde might be on Alola at the start of SoLuna.

Chapter Synopsis: Set in Kalos, after Lysandre's plan went into action...and subsequently failed. Something unknown is threatening the city/region, and if not contained, will spread to the world. Someone has to step in...and there will be casualties.

Major Characters: Zygarde, Spark (Go), Blanche (Go), Candela (Go), Fiti (OC)

 _When someone is speaking in "normal quotation marks and in italics.", it means they are speaking a language that is not English. My logic is that Alola used to be a sub-region under Unova, like how Hawaii is a part of the USA, so even though they're their own region now, English is still the dominant language. People in the night class (like Hau, Moana (Tsuki's mom), and Hala) tend to speak the native Hawaiin more often, or in this case, Alolan, while people in the day class (Gladion, Lillie (originally) and Teresa) don't know as much Alolan. Back on point, most of the time, it will be translated, but not always. The three languages here in Summer of 2831 are "_English _", " Mainland (Japanese)", and "Alolan (Hawiian)"._

 _In the meantime, please enjoy! Read and Review! Honest criticism is appreciated!_

 _~Inspired Gracidea of the Valley_

* * *

Fight in Lumiose City

* * *

20 Years 30 Days Ago

A battle was raging throughout Lumiose City as unknown forces ravaged everything in their path. Tendrils of dark energy shot down the street, throwing pavement into the air and destroying organic and non-organic material alike.

Lysandre's plan had gone to hell when he got more than he bargained for. The roots that Z2 had summoned were out of control, even with both Zygarde cores freed from Lysandre's mega evolution-powered machine. The Giant Rock that served as the backup plan had absorbed so much negative energy, it had unleashed monstrosities of shadows, vines, and stone upon the city.

And something else had joined in the chaos, something that no one knew, and could not fight against.

A group of civilians huddled in the back of a broken-down store, flinching every time an explosion was heard. The building they were in shook, tiles raining down.

"We can't stay here," one of them whispered, holding a drawstring bag close to her chest. "We've got to go."

"With an injured person?" A man who was tending a girl who had a bloody stump instead of a foot demanded. "We're better off waiting it out."

"For how long? We've been here for hours."

"Who knows for how much longer we'll be stuck."

Elsewhere, a teenage boy was peeking out from a broken wall. As a tendril of dark matter passed and went out of sight, he beckoned. _" Okay, let's go."_ A group of humans and pokémon dashed from behind the wall. They ran down the street, slipping between buildings and overturned vehicles. _" We need to make it underground."_

One of the women in the group had a small paper map, and was trying to check their location in an attempt to ignore the bodies of pokémon and humans alike that were spread across the street, some mangled beyond recognition, others missing limbs that are thrown yards away. Holes were blasted into the asphalt like a war zone. Which it was.

 _" There is a subway ahead of us. Four blocks._" If they weren't careful, they would end up like those bodies.

 _" We can make it."_ The group moved forward, creeping behind an overturned bus. Seconds after they had cleared it, the bus was thrown into the air, crashing into a nearby building. A vine of dark energy rose over where it had been standing.

" _Luxray! Discharge!"_ The lion-dog leapt forward, electricity coursing from it's fur towards the vine, which didn't react. _" Discharge!"_ No response. The group continued to back away. _" Keep it up, Luxray!" _The Electric-type snarled, blasting the vine over and over, which only continued to advance.

 _" Pachirisu! Thunderbolt!" _A teenager released a small electric squirrel from a pokéball. The pachirisu squealed and released a burst of energy, which was as effective as the luxray's attack.

The vine continued to advance, and a second tendril burst from a nearby building, the group of humans and Pokémon trapped between the two.

 _" We're going to die here! We're going to die!"_ one of the women screamed, clutching a wailing child to her chest.

A burst of electricity descended from above, blasting the vine into wisps of energy, which dissipated on the wind.

" _Hurry_!" a young man with spikey golden hair yelled down from where he was crouched on a thatched roof. " _The subway's up ahead! You can make it! Go! Go_!" This spurred the group into action, and they kept going, followed by the blonde, who stuck to the rooves.

The lamppost was sprawled across the subway entrance, but they moved over it, down the stairs. Luxray and Pachirisu paused, staring at the man with knowing eyes. They bowed, electric sparks shooting upward before following their humans.

When they had disappeared, the blonde ran towards the edge of the building. Without hesitation, he threw himself into the air.

But instead of plummeting to the street below, his body warped and grew. Yellow jacket and hair shifted into bright yellow plumage, and blown-clad feet shifted into sharp claws. A loud screech filled the air as a majestic bird flew into the sky above Lumiose City.

'Zapdos!' a graceful blue bird called out as the yellow bird shot towards her. 'Moltres needs our help!' The pair cut through the air towards where flames rose above the buildings.

'It caught a group of humans. We needed to help.'

In one of the main squares, a group of creatures were surrounding a redhead, who was shooting flames at them from her hands, although the flames were slow and red, and sweat was rolling down her face. The shadows were growing bolder, nipping at the flames surrounding her, testing her boundaries.

Her eyes rose as the yellow bird descended, morphing back into a human form. He charged towards her, electricity coursing off him, and in one moment, he had scooped the redhead into his arms, and the blue bird had grabbed both in her talons.

The shadows snarled in fury, but the three were too far away for them to do anything.

The man dropped to an undamaged rooftop, still holding the redhead. The articuno gave a final screech before dropping alongside the man in the form of a human female in a blue coat.

"Candela-"

"I've had worse, Spark."

"Enough, Candela." the platinum blonde warned, opening the redhead's vest to reveal a gaping hold on her collarbone that should have been fatal to any person. But instead, the redhead grimaced, watching her flesh slowly knit together. "How did you get caught?"

"They have air support, Blanche, in the clouds." A dark look passed over Spark's face, and he rose, staring off into the distance where a tornado of green, blue, and orange was moving over the rooftops. The tornado paused, before whirling away with even more force.

"The forces of nature will spread the warning." Spark knelt beside Candela, while Blanche scanned their surroundings for enemies.

"What's everyone's status?"

"Nyte and the twins are sweeping the North sector." The Unovan legendaries worked best as the set they were. A shadow vine appeared over the edge of the building, and Blanche sent a blast of cold air at it, freezing it in place. "Kaede and her human mate are working the central squares with Meloetta and her Inspired." Blanche frowned, showing her disapproval of humans being in the fight, but the Guardian of All Dreams was certain that having her mate nearby would help. He wasn't a normal human, so Meloetta had no qualms about his presence.

The ground shook, and multicolored lights rained down on the area surrounding the tower. All three raised their heads, feeling the pressure on the city lift ever so slightly.

An unspoken agreement passed between them. Ash needed no help.

They were lucky Mew had found the Kanto boy when he was in Sinnoh, and helped train him with Arceus's aura. They were even luckier that he had been participating in the Kalos league when Lysandre had acted; just a breath away from the disaster that had brought all the Guardians to this land. They needed the Chosen One now more than ever.

A hurricane swept towards the three, kicking materials of all kinds into the air, and Lugia appeared, perched on the roof, tiles cracking under her weight. All three bowed their heads in respect to their mistress.

'Candela, Moltres, are you injured?'

"It knocked Moltres out from the air." Candela kept her eyes on the roof, showing the still-healing injury. "I couldn't resume flight from the ground. There was too much pressure from all sides."

'Hmph.' All three flinched, before Lugia drew close to the red-haired woman, breathing on her. Warmth surged within her, and her wounds knit closed. 'Take to the air. There is still too much to deal with for a break. Ho-Oh and her wielders need our assistance in the poorer sectors.' All three nodded, and when Lugia rose, she was accompanied by the Legendary Birds, although Moltres seemed more content to fly closer to Lugia.

* * *

Complete. That is the word Fiti would use to describe what she was feeling right now. Complete. No longer broken apart or feeling like something was missing in her life. Complete.

Around her, four massive green hounds moved about the square, striking with their jaws or slamming the shadows that dared get too close to their Chosen.

Never again would she need to stare off into the ocean from the top of Ten Caret Hill, towards the mainland, feeling like she should be there. Never again would she feel a phantom ache in her heart, or the pounding thud of a headache that came about randomly, and wonder why. She had been chosen to be part of something bigger.

The red- and blue-tinted hounds worked closely in tandem, weaving together with Extreme Speed to clear the weaker shadows while the orange- and purple-tinted hounds fired off Dragon Pulses with deadly accuracy.

It was sheer luck, or perhaps fate, that had her family visiting her when this disaster struck. But whatever the reason, she was here now. Her family was safe underground, surrounded by earth these monsters could not-would not-penetrate.

The dark-skinned woman waved her arms and glowing green beams shot from the ground, impaling the creatures and dissolving them.

 _'They are a plague on this land.'_

 _'They are parasites in this world.'_

 _'They should not be here.'_

 _'They will be destroyed.'_

 _'We will protect our home.'_

Their thoughts all echoed together. Which thoughts were hers, which were theirs? It felt like one and the same, and it put her at ease. Complete.

There was a high-pitched scream from above her, and white eyes turned upward to see a foul mimicry of a talonflame swoop towards her, talons outstretched. But the orange-core hound lunged forward, jaw snapping on it with a loud crunch. The shadows dissolved into wisps and slipped free from it's jaw, spiraling upward to escape, screaming in pain.

 _'Well done.'_ Fiti laid a hand on the hound's shoulder when it landed.

 _'Protect you. Protect this land.'_

 _'The part that makes us whole.'_

 _'Our Chosen.'_ The red-core hound bounded towards the orange-core, both disintegrating in a flash of green light, cells and cores separating before reforming into a massive green serpent, which curled around Fiti protectively.

 _'Part of the land. Part of the world.'_

 _'Balance life. Balance death.'_

 _'It will not take the earth.'_

 _'We are the earth, bound to and to protect.'_

 _'The earth is ours.'_ The blue and purple hounds leapt together, reforming like the red and orange hounds had, curling around Fiti with the other serpent.

 _'Our home.'_

 _'We will protect.'_

 _'Family. Friends.'_

 _'Our fellow pokémon. Our fellow humans.'_

Their eyes flashed in unison, a green light throwing the monstrosities back. When it died away, Zygarde Complete Form towered above the creatures.

 _'Too long since we have been one.'_

 _'This form cannot be maintained for long.'_

 _'Then we must act quickly.'_

* * *

Zapdos was slicing the flying shadows that had knocked Moltres down when a green explosion rose above the rooftops, beams of green light fracturing in all directions. An earthquake rocked the area, crumbling buildings and trees. One beam crashed beneath Zapdos, and the dust settled to reveal one of Zygarde's cells, although it was very dazed. Zapdos swooped close to it, destroying a vine-like monster along the way.

'What happened?!' Only the cores could respond coherently to outsiders, so Zapdos didn't expect a clear answer. But the cell only wobbled, barely able to rise, and vanished from sight, to regain strength or return to where the cores were, Zapdos didn't know. But neither sat well with the electric bird.

'Mistress!' Zapdos screeched, rising up to where the others were. Moltres glanced over from where they were sending a shadow spiraling to the city below, while Articuno, who was hovering near Lugia, looked apprehensive.

'Let the environment trio deal with their own.'

'But Xerneas and Yveltal have yet to appear!' Zapdos always trusted their instincts to keep them out of danger, and right now, those instincts were uneasy, worried for the newest demi-mortal member of their Guard.

'Peace, bird of thunder.' Ho-Oh swung close, brushing against Lugia's side. 'Sister, if I may, send Zapdos with Raikou. They can scout.' The thunder beast looked up from the roof he was on.

'I'll tolerate Sparky.' Zapdos gave an annoyed caw. That name was for the human, not the bird!

'Very well.' Lugia accepted this, somewhat reluctantly. 'Return once the situation has been accessed.'

 _It may have escalated beyond that though._

* * *

The dark clouds above Fiti were glowing an unnatural green color, with lightning rushing over the clouds. Laying on her back and looking up at the clouds was all she could do right now.

She tried to take a breath, but only spit up blood. Cold, dust-filled air flowed into her lungs not down her throat, but from elsewhere. Her chest hurt...it hurt so much. She let out a strangled cry, white eyes moving to her surroundings. Everything around her was leveled, and the buildings that still stood a distance away were crumbling.

A snarl ripped through the air, and her head slowly turned, causing new spasms of pain to course through her body.

The shadow monsters were gathering, dead eyes trained on her as they circled her, jaws dripping with poison.

 _'Help. Where are you? Help. Help.'_

Weak glows emitted from buildings around her, but none of them had enough energy to help her. They could only watch, and she was on her own.

 _Mend. Mend. Heal. Protect._ She coughed, forcing her fingers to move, to dig into the earth beneath her. _Heal. Heal. Energy._ The earth was trying to provide her with strength, but it wasn't enough. The energy was vanishing as soon as it entered her body. _Protect._ Columns of light burst from the ground, but they were fading as quickly as they appeared.

"Zy..." The monsters were drawing nearer, unafraid of the Land's Wrath, knowing she couldn't do anything. "Zygarde..."

A thunderclap filled the air, and Raikou snarled, electricity from it's fur blasting the monsters into wisps as the Thunder Beast slammed into the ground from the rooftops. The monsters fled from the new opponent, but they did not escape and were blasted away.

Zapdos screeched, snagging the dark-skinned female in it's talons, carrying her up, up past the crumbling buildings to a stable rooftop, where the massive bird deposited her as gently as it could, before shifting into human form.

"Fiti..." Spark whispered, pulling her shirt up, and there was no protest. When he saw her blood-covered torso and chest, he swore.

"That...bad?" Her flesh was trying to knit itself back together, but the shadow poison was corroding it much more quickly. Normally, she would heal slower than him, being a demi-mortal guardian, but the poison was rendering her immune system human.

"It's not looking too good." he responded, golden eyes sweeping the rooftop and spotting a clothline with a few shirts whipping in the wind. He stood, moving across the space to snag a few, tearing them into strips, and binding the less pressing injuries. When he moved to the hole in her chest-

"Spark...enough..." The woman stopped his hand, tears escaping her eyes. "Can't...too much..."

"I'll heal you. Take you to Mistress." Spark tried to wrap the bandage again. "We just need to stop the bleeding."

"Spark..." He shook his head, not wanting to believe what his instincts told him. She was a demi-mortal guardian, not a demi-immortal like him, and the wound was poisoned by something not from their dimension. If it were normal poison, her body would have been able to expel it quickly-

A low whine reached Spark's ears, and he twisted, hand crackling with electricity to blast away the threat, but it was an overreaction. It was only one of the cores in 10% Form, limping across the roof.

'Worried. Worried. Fear for you. Injured.' The core's voice reached Spark.

"Zygarde..." The hound whimpered, nudging her face.

'Can't heal you. Can't lose you.'

"Shhh... just another human...another human..." An angry bark of disagreement. Green tears were trickling down her face, pooling next to her head. "Sorry... could help...more." A whimper. Her vision was blurring. It was green and grey. "chose me...but I fail...ed..." Her eyes found gold. Spark. "Help...who follows. Zy..." White eyes connected with brown. "Follow...my so..."

Darkness.

* * *

A blonde man traveled down a dark subway tunnel, his persona emitting a soft light.

The girls had disagreed, and the birds hadn't approved, but the human part of Spark cried against not doing this.

Fiti had mentioned being on the mainland with family, so if her family had survived, they would look for her. It felt wrong to leave her body out to the elements.

The human's whispers filled the tunnel, but it was the pokémon's that were the clearest to Spark. He had a foot in both worlds. They were aware of what he was, and that he was coming.

"Fiti!" a man whose skin matched hers cried, scrambling towards Spark. " _Fiti! Wake up_!" His tongue switched into that of the island people. " _Fiti...my love...please. Please. Please wake up_."

"Papa?" A boy who shared both the man and Fiti's dark skin came forward hesitantly. Spark's eyes widened. "Mom? Mom!" He dashed forward, but his feet halted before he reached his parents. _Poor kid...and he won't be the only one. There will be families who are broken apart, orphans in the streets, parents who have no children._ "Who are you? What did you do to her?" Sky blue eyes bored into his golden ones, fear, respect, and angst mixed together. He deserved the truth, but it wasn't Spark's to give.

"Someone who wanted your mom to get back home." He ran his hand over the boy's head, just enough to protect him, but not to give him a blessing. "This will be over soon, kid. Be strong." The ground shook as another Judgement was unleased. The humans cowered and covered their heads, but Spark and the kid remained upright. "This will be over soon."

...

...

* * *

19 Years 47 Days Ago

Something came alive in the network that Zygarde used to observe and watch the world. A lost link had been reconnected. A crystal that had been dark had become illuminated once again.

 _'Returned.'_

* * *

PostWriting: So I included the Pokémon Go team leaders. Sue me. I like the idea of them having been chosen by the birds their teams represent. Actually, I saw a surfcage comic about Spark having a mark on his hand from Zapdos when he was young, with Lt. Surge and Professor Willow remarking on the mark he got from bonding from a Fearow (Zapdos) (snicker). Follow the link below! (just remove the spaces (because ff .net is annoying like that.)

www. surfacage post/ 150917306904/ go-so-youre-telling-me-the-lunatic-who-spent-two

Stay tuned for more!


	2. Teresa

PreWriting This story is going to be chronological, so might as well talk about Teresa as a kid.

Chapter Synopsis: Zygarde's Chosen was reborn, but humans don't grow up quickly. So Zygarde settled itself into watching their Chosen grow up, protecting and comforting.

Major Characters: Teresa (OC), Zygarde

 _How's everyone enjoying Ultra SoLuna? I got Ultra Sun (I played Moon) to spice things up. Also because I'm writing an Ultra Sun/Moon crossover called Worlds Apart and wanted to truly experience that world. Anyway, this story will probably stick to one world. Going to the different worlds is Worlds Apart. Later chapters might hint at it, but for now I'm planning on keeping them separate._

 _Anyway, I spend way too much time Mantine Surfing. Who needs to Charizard Glide? Seriously?_

 _In the meantime, please enjoy! Read and Review! Honest criticism is appreciated!_

 _~Inspired Gracidea of the Valley_

* * *

19 Years 47 Days Ago

Something came alive in the network that Zygarde used to observe and watch the world. A long lost link had been reconnected. A crystal that had been dark had become illuminated once again.

 _'Returned.'_ One cell picked up the signal and passed the word on.

 _'Returned.'_ It spread, instantaneously.

 _'Returned.'_

 _'Alive again.'_

 _'So soon.'_

 _'Reborn. Renewed.'_

 _'Bond not broken.'_

 _'A threat approaching.'_

 _'Find the white.'_

 _'We must seek.'_

 _'We must prepare.'_

 _'Our Chosen.'_

 _'The one who joined us.'_

 _'The one who desires to protect the earth.'_

 _'Alive again.'_

In the region of Hoenn, an Zygarde core with an orange gem suspended in it's body turned to the west, where the sun was setting.

 _'Close. Close to here.'_

In the northern part of Sinnoh, near the temple, the Zygarde core with a purple gem focused, then responded, _'barely here. Not on this land.'_ On the far shores of Almia, the core with a red gem responded in similar fashion.

In the center of Unova's White Forest, the blue-gem core stared to the south, feeling what the orange-core had felt, but not as strongly.

 _'Near the place where the birds find rest, but not there.'_

 _'The nine islands.'_

 _'Not impossible.'_

 _'Unlikely, though.'_

 _'The island masters do not openly accept humans into their domain.'_

 _'Orange.'_

 _'Possible. Humans on numerous islands there.'_

 _'Numerous settlements.'_

 _'Not all understand the land.'_

 _'Only one is needed.'_

 _'Where the moon holds sway.'_

 _'Our Chosen first came from there.'_

 _'The moon. The sun. The one who is neither, and the one who steals their light.'_

 _'Near the devourer, our chosen should not be.'_

 _'Make our way to there.'_

 _'Too soon since the demons-'_

 _'-parasites-'_

 _'-invaders-'_

 _'-destroyers-'_

 _'-came to the world. Healing must continue.'_

 _'One of the four should go.'_

 _'Our chosen is young. Human newborns are weaker than mon newborns.'_

 _'And if the devourer is awake-!'_

 _'He is not. Dormant, still.'_

 _'And will remain.'_

 _'There are other dangers.'_

 _'The Tapus-'_

 _'Do not understand. They stand by humans, but do not understand Chosens.'_

 _'"Liability".'_

 _'"Get in the way".'_

 _'"Weak".'_

 _'The birds, then. Zapdos promised to guide our Chosen, like before.'_

 _'They will not be able to remain for long. They attract attention.'_

 _'We can hide. We can watch. We can protect.'_

 _'Then we shall go.'_

 _'Those who are not healing, travel to those islands.'_

 _'Spread about.'_

 _'Be there to protect the one who protects the earth.'_

 _'I shall go.'_ The orange-core move out of the trunk where it had been resting. _'The lands here are stable enough, and our Chosen is close to here.'_

 _'We all go with one. One represents us.'_

* * *

18 Years 347 Days Ago

 _Close. So close._ Zygarde moved out from the line of trees, eyes sweeping the settlement on Poni Island. Of all the islands in this region, the feeling, the pull, was strongest here. Their Chosen was here.

This town was small, so it would be an easy task to locate their Chosen. Simply follow the pull. Each of the cores could feel the others, knowing their exact location, should they ever need to come together to protect the earth.

Zygarde followed the pull into the town's center, careful to stay hidden and out of sight. While it may be in a town, the pokémon in cities could be as territorial as, if not more than, pokémon that lived separate from humans.

This town was in touch with nature, the core was pleased to observe. Instead of concrete and metal buildings commonly found on the mainland, the houses and buildings here were hardened, waterproofed clay, reinforced from the inside. The asphalt roads were few, with dirt paths and roads being the favored means of connecting buildings. Trees and bushes lined the roads and many houses had gardens in them.

 _'A good place for our chosen. The land here is good, and the town in line with the earth.'_ the orange core told the others, and a feeling of satisfaction rippled through their network. The feeling was so strong...and a group of humans was nearby, so Zygarde dove into a bush to observe them.

The group was mostly women, with the dark skin so common on the islands, and children around them. There were a laughing male and female child who ran around the legs of an exasperated female, but both lacked the white eyes that the fifth core passed onto their chosen, so Zygarde dismissed them. There was a young female holding a little male no older than a year and an old female with greying hair. The little boy had his eyes closed, but something about him...the core was certain it would be able to recognize their Chosen on sight.

There was one more. It was an older female, far too old to be their Chosen, but Zygarde's eyes kept returning to her.

A mess of brown peeked over the woman's shoulder, and white eyes connected with black. The core's orange gem flashed, recognizing the exact shade of white that the fifth core had possessed. _Them._ The head tilted, pupils shrinking into hexagons, and the child's whole head appeared. Dark skin and a full head of dark hair, one arm reached over the female's shoulder, small, chubby hand reaching towards where the core was hidden.

 _Our Chosen._

The older female adjusted her grip on the child, bouncing her, and the child's gaze swung between the female Zygarde assumed was her mother and where the core was hiding. While the older female spoke with the other mothers, the girl's gaze returned to the bush where Zygarde was peeking out.

She appeared to be in good health, Zygarde was relieved to observe. Bright eyes, an awareness of the world around her, and curiosity. Zygarde didn't know as much about human children as some of the other legendaries, such as Mew, Cresselia, or Latias, but that wouldn't matter, the core decided. This child was their chosen, the same soul as Fiti, the one who had chosen to guard the earth alongside them.

The girl's mother moved away, and the girl continued to stare over her shoulder, trying to keep the bush and Zygarde in sight, but Zygarde had moved away. It wouldn't hurt to leave her alone for a bit longer. The orange-gem core had to speak with the others to inform them of the condition of their chosen.

It would probably be wise to meet with the Tapu (was in Lele or Fini? Zygarde couldn't recall) to inform her of their presence on the island for a long span of time. Although she might not notice if it didn't. That fish was in the ocean as much as Kyogre...

* * *

16 Years 299 Days Ago

Ala Town is a peaceful place. Encompassing the area that is better known as the Ancient Poni Path to the locals, it has the same relaxed air as Seafolk Village, but with a strong sense of tradition. The people who live here remember their roots. With the Altar of the Moone just a day's journey away, the people here keep their pride, diligence, and honesty about them. Their Kahuna was an example of this. Kahuna Honi was well-chosen, Zygarde had decided. Strong and powerful, but well-liked by his people. A good protector. As far as humans went, he was a good protector for their Chosen if Zygarde's options were limited. Not that the core had any intention of allowing a human to protect their chosen if it was around.

The cells the orange-core had called from various regions were spread out across the islands, watching the ecosystem closely. No toxins or foreign contaminants would be allowed near their Chosen. The islands themselves were in good health, with the small exception of Ula'Ula Island's tip. The cores had never had a reason to worry about these islands; the regions known as Kanto, Unova, and Kalos needed more attention. Orre was...an interesting case, but that would be entering a disagreement the cores could not settle.

Zygarde was dozing in one of the trees overlooking the place where human children liked to be, with different structures they climbed all over like mankey. Or they were laughing and chasing each other like dog pokémon.

Their Chosen was too young to be climbing all over the structures like the older children, but she was active in her own way, grabbing handfuls of dirt and throwing them into the air, or building small structures. The girl's mother watched with exasperation from where she was sitting, but had long since given up trying to impede her games. From the human's perspective, it was just playing in the dirt, but Zygarde knew it was her trying to reach out for what she was missing, to connect with the earth, to be energized by the natural energy that the protectors of the planet embraced.

This place was a safe one, despite being on the edge of town, so Zygarde had no issues with dozing off in the warm sunlight. The energy in Alola was perfect and the sun was so warm that the core didn't notice the girl change her games, wandering around the area to examine different plants with her cubby hands, gathering them in front of her mother. First the plants nearby, then the ones off to the side a little bit, then the other side of the playground. Moving farther and farther away to the point when Zygarde finally broke out of the dozing state, the girl's bright pink shirt was nowhere to be found.

The core's mental processes halted as it shook the last strands of rest from it's body, desperately searching the playground for the small girl. She was nowhere to be found.

Panic swelled in the core, and it tried to rationalize where the girl had gone. No one was panicking, so she couldn't have been taken. Not that that calmed the core.

It bounced off the tree and landed on the ground, bounding into the forest, out of sight of the humans.

 _'Come.'_ The orange core called out, and the cells spread across the region responded, streaking towards where it was waiting. Within moments, Zygarde had reformed it's body so that it was no longer a single core, but a hound, greens and blacks making up it's body.

Now in it's 10% Form, Zygarde took a deep breath, senses stronger than before, and tested the wind. Like it had suspected, the girl had wandered into the forest.

The hound's paws pounded against the earth as it moved through the trees, partially following the scent trail the girl left, partially following the pull that had led the orange-core to her location two years ago. The scent trail remained unchanged, but the mental pull was growing stronger. Stronger and stronger, until the hound finally found her.

The girl was standing stock-still in-between two trees, a raticate sniffing her dress, clicking her claws together. Through the bond the girl had with the others, Zygarde could sense her fear and anguish.

Zygarde growled, and both the girl and the raticate turned. While the raticate hesitated from the appearance of this newcomer, wondering if it was better to leave the human for it to take and make a break for it, the fear in the girl's eyes vanished, replaced with wonder.

'Back away from our Chosen.'

'Chosen?' The raticate paused, and the word sunk in. 'Shit. Chosen. You're-' Her ears flattened against her skull, her tail wrapped around her body, and she sunk to the ground. 'I didn't know, okay?! I just smelled food! Don't hurt me!' Zygarde growled, pacing forward.

'Leave.' The ratiate squeaked, diving into the bushes.

Zygarde reached the girl and began sniffing all over for injuries. There was a small cut on her knee, probably from wandering off. Nothing too dangerous. The hound's tongue rolled out, washing over the wound, and watched with satisfaction as it closed over, healed.

"Big doggie!" the girl cried, hands reaching for it's snout, eyes gleeful.

Gently Zygarde grasped the small human's shirt in it's jaws, lifting her off the ground. The girl giggled, curling in her arms and legs to swing back and forth in glee. Zygarde let out something between a growl and a huff, giving her a little shake, and she giggled before settling down, hands reaching up to explore it's face. Zygarde didn't mind, until one of her fingers slipped up into the hound's nose. It yelped, the grip of her shirt loosening enough that her feet skimmed the ground. The girl let out a little yelp of her own.

 _'Enough.'_ Zygarde gave a scolding growl. Nothing too harsh, just to admonish her.

"Sowwy." She mumbled, keeping her hands in front of her, although she continued to sneak glanced over her shoulder at the hound that was carrying her through the forest, back to where she had come from.

Zygarde set the girl down near the playground, giving her a once-over. Satisfied that she was no longer in danger and uninjured, it fixed her with a stern look.

'No more wandering into the forest.' A pout crossed her lips.

"Awww."

'No. It's dangerous, especially for you.' Zygarde's tongue rolled out to lick her cheek. 'One day, but not now. It's time for you to go back.' It nudged her out of the treeline, back into where the other children were playing. The girl glanced backwards at Zygarde, hesitated, then slowly walked towards where her mother was scanning the playground in a panic similar to the one Zygarde had been having earlier. Zygarde, in the meantime, edged along the playground, keeping to the bushes and undergrowth before concealing itself behind a particularly large bush near where the girl was.

"Teresa! Where have you been?" The girl's mother scooped her into her arms, checking her for injuries. "You gave me a heart attack!"

"Flowers!" The girl showed the plants she had been collecting. "Hine! A big doggie!" She pointed to where Zygarde was sure it was hidden completely. _Can she sense the presence of the other cores already?_

"A dog?" Her mother peered into the forest. "There's no dog, Teresa."

"There is! There is! There! See?" But the girl's mother simply shook her head, leading her away. The little girl kept glancing over her shoulder, white eyes certain of what she saw.

It wasn't until she was out of sight that Zygarde returned into the forest to allow the cells to spread back across the region.

* * *

14 Years 322 Days Ago

It was a beautiful day in the Alola region. All around the region, eleven year olds were working on their island challenges, battling totems, challenging kahunas, training their pokémon, and having a good summer. On Ula'Ula Island, a white-haired boy with an affinity for bug-types and a dark-skinned boy with sunglasses were training on Route 17. While the white-haired boy was struggling, the boy with sunglasses was completing his training with ease.

In another part of the region, the organism that served as one of five cores for the being known as Zygarde was hiding in a bush, watching as their chosen played in the dirt, building small structures for her dolls. She laughed, moving her dolls from place to place.

"But I don't want to go to school." She wiggled one doll. "Okay, you don't have to." She moved the other one, then set both down next to a dirt structure and picked up a lillipup doll. "Roar! I'm going to get you both!" She shook the doll so it's arms flopped like a frillish'stentacles. "No, no! Don't!" She rolled both dolls away from the one she held. "We need to run away! I can with my ability!" In one hand, she grabbed both dolls by their arms and 'ran away'. "Roar! Roar! I'll use my Tackle on you!" The lillipup doll collided with her other two dolls. "But I used my Protect! We're safe!" She laughed, continuing her game.

Zygarde watched her games with half-interest. Already she was getting the basics of battling down, with simple attacks and reposts. She also knew her numbers, days of the week, letters, simple addition and subtraction, and was practicing writing her name. While the cores had no idea how she stood in comparison to others of her age, it was certain she was average or above average.

And observant. Several times she had almost spotted the core, even when it was certain it was sufficiently out of sight. Part of it had to do with being connected as legendary and chosen, but her observation skills went beyond that. She could tell when something wasn't right, or if someone was sick before the symptoms became obvious.

"Come on out." The core blinked, knocked out of it's thoughts.

"I know you're here." The girl called out, dolls discarded to the side and hands full of dirt, her white eyes fixed on one particular bush. The one the core was hiding in, although she didn't know that. "You can come out." The core blinked, uncertain. Was she bluffing or did she really- "If you won't come out, I'll come in." She dusted her hands and began shuffling over to the bush, shoulders set in determination.

The core had a moment of panic, briefly wondering if bolting would be the best option, but the girl already could sense the presence of the others, it appeared, and would be putting off the inevitable.

Before the girl could enter the bush, it rustled, and the core appeared, staring up at the girl. She halted, taking in the strange creature that had appeared before her. For the strangest reason, she could have sworn she'd seen this creature before. But in a good way, like a happy memory just out of reach. A smile burst to life across her face. It wasn't dangerous. She could tell that.

"I knew you were there! And for a long time!" She held out her hands, unafraid. "I'm Teresa! Who're you?"

'Zygarde.'

"Zy-gaurt?" She wrinkled her nose. "Too long. Zy!"

'Zy?'

"Yep!" Teresa offered both her hands, and the core hesitantly hopped into them. Her hands were so small. Smaller than Bonnie's had been many years ago, if the red-core's memory served right. "Why were you hiding? I knew you were there." That was a good question, one that the core had no real answer for. It had initially hidden because there was no point in making the girl's parents nervous by having a strange pokémon being about, and hunters were an issue, even in a region as peaceful as this. Phasing out of sight was like second nature to the cells, and those traits rubbed off on the cores, even though they wouldn't admit it.

'You're not scared?'

"Of you?" She frowned. "No. Why?"

'Some people are scared, so hiding keeps them from being scared.'

"Well I'm not scared of you. You're cool!"

'Thank you.'

"What's that thing in your tummy, Zy?"

'My gem?' It flashed. 'It allows me to watch the ecosystem.'

"Echo-system?" Her nose wrinkled in response. "That's a big word."

'It's an important word.'

"Mmmm...if you say so." She hummed. "Do you want to play with me?" The core blinked. It had already been discovered, so there was no reason not to. It would give it something to do aside from communicating with the cells.

'Why not?' Her eyes and smile were as bright as a Flash. It was a good feeling.

* * *

11 Years 217 Days Ago

Teresa was curled up in a ball when Zygarde found her in the forest. It bounced up to her, nudging her elbow. The girl only sniffled, burying her head in her arms. _Not good._

'What's wrong?'

"The other kids at school make fun of me." She sniffed, running a hand across her face. "They call me weird."

'Why?'

"It's nothing."

'It's never nothing.' They were both silent. Zygarde had limited options here. Human emotions were something the earthbound legendary had little experience with, and as a result, had little idea how to console the human girl. When the cores had made the decision to watch over their Chosen, events like this hadn't even been considered.

Instead, Zygarde moved closer, burying into her shirt like it had seen the village lillipup doing when the human children were sad.

Teresa scooped Zygarde up, squeezing the core tightly. Having seen this before in humans that needed comfort, Zygarde allowed it, nuzzling her face as best it could.

They remained like this for a while. Finally, Teresa pulled away, holding the orange-gem core in her hands, unable to look at it.

"My eyes." Her voice was strained, but Zygarde heard it clearly.

'Your eyes?' Zygarde tilted it's head. 'Teresa, look at me.' Slowly, she raised her head, and the core examined her eyes. They were the same as always: white irises with pupils in a shade of green so dark that they appeared black. There wasn't anything wrong as far as the core could perceive; no redness or puffiness, no signs of injury or illness. 'There's nothing wrong with your eyes.' Teresa laughed, but it didn't seem like a happy laugh.

"They're weird. No one else has white eyes." _Ah. A matter of appearance._

'There are many different types of eye colors just like there are types of leaves.'

"But no one has white eyes like me." She sniffed, wiping her nose on her sleeve. "No one on the whole island."

'The world is a large place. There are some humans with white hair, and some humans with white hair and skin. There is much beyond this island.' Teresa was silent, and Zygarde paused. 'There's something more, isn't there?' When she shook her head, the core sighed. 'Do not lie. It is a bad habit.' Teresa placed the core on the forest floor and remained silent. Her stubbornness was a trait that would help her in the future, Zygarde was sure, but at the moment it was more annoying than anything. The core could feel the emotions rolling around inside her: guilt, frustration, sadness, anger. However, being connected to each other made addressing those issues no easier. So instead, the core remained silent, not pushing her. The pikipek in the trees around them chirped their songs, and several petilil observed from behind trees, but made no move to approach them. The wind coming off the ocean brushed against the leaves, and the sun's descent was the only way to know the passage of time in the ancient woods.

'The sun is going down soon.' Zygarde finally said, noticing how Teresa flinched at it's words. 'Your mother is probably worried about where you are.' Teresa nodded, preparing to rise, but Zygarde hopped onto her knees, stopping her from getting up. 'Teresa, what is it?'

"Why can I hear you?"

'What do you mean?'

"Why can I hear your voice? Why can I hear the voices of pokémon? Other people think you can't talk like us."

'You think-'

"The other kids can't hear the voices of pokémon like me. They think I'm making it up so the adults are nice to me." She shook her head from side to side. "They call me 'Whisper!' Just because I talk to pokémon and they respond!"

'I understand-'

"No you don't!" She pushed herself up, throwing off the core. "None of the kids will play with me! The girls think I'm like the boys because I like the dirt and the boys think I have cooties! Cooties! Is it because I can hear you and they can't?! I don't want to be special if it means they're mean to me!" Her pupils had shrunk into hexagons.

'Teresa, listen.' There was no response. 'Teresa, look at me.' Finally, her white eyes met the core's orange-tinted black ones.

'There are many different types of individuals in this world. Some live out their lives content to be on the background. Some are given gifts, like psychics, aurans, and mediums. Others simply look different, while others do different things. Arceus created each individual with a purpose. Some are to aid, some are to create, some are to wander, and some are to protect. Each has a purpose.'

"Then what about me? What's my purpose?" She was young, too young to be understand the choice she had made in her previous lifetime.

'To protect. To preserve. To guide. You are many things, Teresa. Do not forget that, and do not let anyone else tell you are anything else.'

* * *

Postwrite: Ugh, gender-neutral 'it' and 'they' are annoying to write...it makes me feel like I'm either talking about an inanimate object or a group of individuals. We need more generalized pronouns, please.


End file.
